Although Crosby, Stills & Nash had the trappings of a simple gathering of friends, this was really a summit meeting of cool hippie-rock aristocracy. David Crosby was a refugee from the Byrds, Stephen Stills had been part of the short-lived, fractious Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash had been a member of the harmony-driven British band the Hollies. In the wake of Buffalo Springfield's breakup, Crosby, Stills and Nash were the next best hope for a made-in-California sound that blended rock, country, folk, psychedelic, and plain old pop influences. What they delivered truly deserves the appellation of classic rock. Its finest track is "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," practically a rock operetta, featuring compelling lyrics from Stills, an arrangement full of shifts and surprises, and exquisite harmonies. Among the other memorable tunes are the whimsical "Marrakesh Express," the lovely "Guinnevere," the dramatic "Wooden Ships," and the rollicking "49 Bye Byes." Another refugee from Buffalo Springfield, guitarist Neil Young, joined the band for an equally successful follow-up, but Crosby, Stills & Nash remains their most inspired work and a great artifact of its time.

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